But He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him:
Parallel translations
- WEB He said to them, “Did you never read what David did, when he had need, and was hungry — he, and those who were with him?
- KJV And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?
- BSB Jesus replied, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?
- NASB And He *said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry;
- NLT Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus answers by appealing to David, who ate the consecrated bread when in need. He shows that human need rightly takes precedence over ceremonial restriction.
Overview
Citing 1 Samuel 21, Jesus points to David eating the holy bread reserved for priests when he and his men were hungry. The example shows that God's law was never meant to be applied without regard for genuine human need and mercy. By aligning Himself with David, Jesus also hints at His own messianic authority, which He makes explicit in the verses that follow.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 1 Sam 21:3–6Now therefore what is under your hand? Please give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever is available.”
- Luke 10:26He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”
- Matt 19:4He answered, “Haven’t you read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female,
- Mark 12:20There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying left no offspring.
- Matt 21:42Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner. This was from the Lord. It is marvelous in our eyes?’
- Mark 12:26But about the dead, that they are raised; haven’t you read in the book of Moses, about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?
- Matt 21:16and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Did you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing babies you have perfected praise?’”
- Matt 22:31But concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read that which was spoken to you by God, saying,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 2:25 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.